Coagulometer



Feb. 12, 1963 R. D. FINK 3,077,106

COAGULOMETER Filed Dec. 11, 1959 INVENTOR. ROBERT D. F I NK ATTORNEYS 7 3,977,106 CUAGULQMETER Ind, assignor to Eli Lilly Indianapolis, 1nd,, a corporation of This invention relates to a device for measuring whole blood coagulation time. Such a device is commonly known as a coagulorneter. The present invention is especially useful in hospitals, clinics and medical laboratories Where blood tests of varying character are carried out.

Devices hitherto provided for this purpose generally have been of a complex construction involving a large number of parts and being relatively expensive.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a coagulometer for measuring whole blood coagulation time which is simply constructed, simple to operate, comprised of few parts, and inexpensive to manufacture.

For a thorough understanding of the invent-ion, the following description should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my improved coagulometer; and

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation showing certain of the salient parts and illustrating the operation of the device.

Referring to FIG. 1, indicates a standard clock which, e.g., may be a typical, inexpensive alarm clock such as is presently produced on a mass-production basis. The clock has the usual dial, minute hand 11, hour hand 12, and preferably has a sweep-second hand 13. In that side 14 of the clock case which lies adjacent to a pinion 15 (pinion 15 being preferably that one of the clockworks which controls the movement of the second hand), there is provided an opening 16 (FIG. 2). Mounted to the rear panel 17 of the clock case and adjacent aperture 16 is a bracket 18 having a transversely disposed pintle 19 journaled at its opposite ends in bracket 18. Pintle 19 has passing therethrough and secured therein a horizontally disposed lever 2%)- preferably formed of relatively light but stiff Wire stock. The inner end 21 of lever lies adjacent the plane of the rear surface of pinion 15 and the outer end of the lever projects through aperture 16 and terminates in an eye 22. A depending loop member 23 formed of light wire stock and having a horizontally disposed circular loop 24 formed at its lower end is pivotally mounted to lever 20 by means such as an eye 25 formed on the upper end of the member and passing loosely through eye 22.

Loop 24 is arranged to be immersed in a blood sample or specimen contained Within a vessel 26. The vessel is of a diameter greater than that of loop 24. Vessel 26 may be and preferably is detachably mounted as, e.g., by means of a spring clip 27 secured as by a screw 28 (FIG. 2) to a spacing block 23 which may, in turn, be secured by screws (not shown) or other suitable fastening means to side 14 of the clock case. If desired, spacing block 2% may be formed of magnetic material so that it may be mounted on side 14 of clock case merely by placing it thereon, provided, of course, that the clock case is fabricated of a ferromagnetic material. In any event, block 29, clip 27 and vessel 26 are so mounted that loop 24 of loop member 23 does not rest upon the bottom of vessel 26.

The rear face of pinion 15 has affixed thereon two rearwardly projecting pins 30 and 31 spaced 180 degrees apart, each of the pins being arranged to first engage and then by-pass the inner end 21 of lever 2%} as suggested by the dotted line showing in FIG. 2.

The operation of the device is as follows: Vessel 26 3,ll?7,lli Patented Feb. 12, 1963 is removed from clip 27 and approximately 2 cc. of a blood specimen or sample to be tested for coagulation time is placed therein. Preferably the vessel is or" such size that this Z-cc. specimen of blood will fill it to about two-thirds of its capacity. Following this, the vessel is replaced in clip 27 with loop 24 submerged within the blood sample. Next, the minute, hour and sweep-second hands are placed say, at 12:00 and the clock started. As the second pinion 15 rotates during operation of the clock, pins 3%) and 31 alternately engage the inner end 21 of lever 20 causing the lever to rock about its fulcrum. This causes loop member 23 to alternately rise and fall or be vertically reciprocated within the blood sample contained in vessel 26. When the blood specimen coagulates to a degree where its density becomes great enough to prevent loop 24 from reciprocating within the body of the specimen as lever 2% is contacted by pin 30 or 31, the clock is stopped, whereupon a reading is taken of the time interval elapsing from the commencement of the operation (12:00) to the moment of stoppage of the clock. Thus a direct measurement of the coagulation time for a specific blood sample is obtained in a relatively simple and easy manner.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple, efiicient coagulometer which is reliably operative, comprised of but a few simple parts and inexpensive to manufacture.

I claim:

1. in a device for indicating the period of time required for the coagulation of whole blood, a clockwork, a vessel for containing a blood specimen and adapted to be mounted upon said clockwork, a loop member immersible in said blood specimen, means connected to said loop member and momentarily engaging said clockwork for alternately raising and lowering said loop member within said blood specimen and said means being engaged continuously with said clockwork so that the clockwork is stopped when said loop member is prevented from being raised or lowered in said blood specimen because of the coagulation which has set in in said blood specimen.

2. In a device for indicating the period of time required for the coagulation of whole blood, a clockwork, a vessel for containing a blood specimen and adapted to be mounted upon said clockwork, a loop member immersible in said blood specimen, means connected to said loop member and momentarily engaging said clockwork for alternately reciprocating said loop member in a vertical direction within said blood specimen and said means being engaged continuously with said clockwork so that the clockwork is stopped when said loop member is prevented from being raised or lowered in said blood specimen as said specimen coagulates.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said vessel is detachably mounted upon said clockwork.

4. A coagulometer comprising a standard clockwork including a pinion adapted to be driven in rotation; a vessel for containing a blood specimen; a loop member immersible in said blood specimen within said vessel; lever means pivotally mounted on said clockwork; means on said pinion engaging momentarily one end of said lever means and to impart rocking motion thereto; said loop member being pivotally connected to the other end of said lever means whereby a vertical, reciprocatory motion is imparted to said loop member as said pi ion is driven in rotation and said pinion and its associated clockwork is stopped when said loop member is prevented from moving by coagulation of said blood specimen.

5. A coagulometer comprising a standard, encased clockwork; said clockwork including a pinion interiorly of said case adapted to be driven in rotation; a vessel attached adjacent one side of said case for containing a blood specimen; said side of said case having an aperture therein; a loop member immersible in said blood specimen within said vessel; lever means pivo'tally mounted on said case and having one end thereof projecting through said aperture; means on said pinion engaging momentarily the other end of said lever means and to thereby impart rocking motion to said lever means; said loop member being pivotally connected to the projecting end of said lever means whereby a vertical, reciprocatory motion is imparted to said loo-p member as said pinion is driven in rotation and said pinion and its associated clockwork is stopped when said loop member is prevented from moving by coagulation of said blood specimen.

6. A ooagulometer comprising a standard, encased clockwork; said clockwork including a pinion interiorly of said case adapted to be driven in rotation; a vessel demountably attached adiacent one side of said case for containing a blood specimen; said side of said case having an aperture therein; a loop member immersible in said blood specimen Within said vessel; lever means pivotally mounted on said case and having one end thereof projec'ting through said aperture; means on said pinion engaging momentarily the other end of said lever means and to thereby impart rocking motion to said lever means; said loop member being pivotally connected to the projecting end of said lever means whereby a vertical, reciprocatory motion is imparted to said loop member as said pinion is driven in rotation and said pinion and its associated clockwork is stopped when said loop member is prevented from moving by coagulation of said blood specimen.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,129,043 Bortsch Sept. 6', 1938 2,437,194 Harrington Mar. 2, 1948 2,478,785 Shapiro Aug. 9', 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 233,530 Germany Apr. 11, 1911 OTHER REFERENCES Journal of Scientific Instruments, vol. 22, No. 8, Augulst 1945, pages 146-448, article by Stoker, A Multiple Coagulorneter. 

1. IN A DEVICE FOR INDICATING THE PERIOD OF TIME REQUIRED FOR THE COAGULATION OF WHOLE BLOOD, A CLOCKWORK, A VESSEL FOR CONTAINING A BLOOD SPECIMEN AND ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED UPON SAID CLOCKWORK, A LOOP MEMBER IMMERSIBLE IN SAID BLOOD SPECIMEN, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID LOOP MEMBER AND MOMENTARILY ENGAGING SAID CLOCKWORK FOR ALTERNATELY RAISING AND LOWERING SAID LOOP MEMBER WITHIN SAID BLOOD SPECIMEN AND SAID MEANS BEING ENGAGED CONTINUOUSLY WITH SAID CLOCKWORK SO THAT THE CLOCKWORK IS STOPPED WHEN SAID LOOP MEMBER IS PREVENTED FROM BEING RAISED OR LOWERED IN SAID BLOOD SPECIMEN BECAUSE OF THE COAGULATION WHICH HAS SET IN IN SAID BLOOD SPECIMEN. 